


Starless Sky, Black

by dustoftheancients



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drama, F/M, especially for the ones we love, learning to be together, we all make mistakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:54:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22610578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dustoftheancients/pseuds/dustoftheancients
Summary: “Why did you change your mind?”It takes a long time for her to answer.“I didn’t want to be alone.”
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey
Comments: 22
Kudos: 85
Collections: For one is both and both are one in love: The Reylo Fanfiction Anthology's Valentine's Day Exchange





	Starless Sky, Black

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RedPaladin465](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedPaladin465/gifts).



> I'm afraid this won't live up to any of your requests, but I attempted to do a quasi-sith!Rey. It's more of a Rey-goes-with-Kylo-at-the-end kind of thing, but I tried. I hope this is enjoyable regardless.
> 
> Much love.

He gets what he wants, in the end. 

The Supreme Leader, finally – _finally_ – with the woman who was made to stand by his side. Just the thought of it makes Kylo Ren’s chest swell with excitement. 

Finally. 

He has her. 

Rey. 

She is his – committed, staying. They are going to rule the galaxy together, just like he told her they could. 

Kylo glances at her for the millionth time. He can’t help it. Standing there, a few loose strands of her hair whipping around her face in the bitter wind, she is beautiful. He can’t help but think it. 

There is – not a smile, not quite – tugging at his lips. When she turns her gaze to meet his, he can barely restrain it from becoming an actual smile. But then he pauses. 

There is none of her old life in her eyes. No spark of hope. She looks up at him with a terrible sort of resignation. 

She turns away before he has the mind to say anything. 

\- 

Rey kisses him when they get to the shuttle. 

She puts her hands on either side of his face and brings him down to her. He is too shocked to put up any resistance, and he wouldn’t have anyway. 

Her lips are dry, cracked. 

It is the sweetest– 

When she pulls away, she averts her eyes. But he sees. 

He covers one of her hands with his. “What’s wrong?” 

“I don’t know.” 

He doesn't believe her. 

“Rey–” 

“I’m just,” she snaps her gaze back to his, “overwhelmed.” 

He studies her expression for a long moment. Then he gives her hand a squeeze. 

\- 

The First Order kneels to her. They kneel because she is his partner, but they kneel more so because she has the blood of the Emperor. They are in awe of it – of her. 

Kylo can’t blame them. 

“What do you want to be called?” He asks her when they finally have a moment to themselves. 

She looks at him like she doesn’t understand the question. 

“Ben is dead.” Even now, he hates to say that old, discarded name. Even now, he nearly pauses as if he’s afraid of it. “Now, Kylo Ren is my name. You can pick your name.” 

He wants to encourage her. Now, she can choose her family. Now, she can choose who she is wants to be– 

But she shakes her head. 

“Rey is all I have,” she says. 

Before he can say anything, she walks away. 

\- 

She hates it. All of it. He can tell within the first few weeks that the constant reverence irritates her, makes her feel uneasy. After that, it becomes clear that she doesn’t agree with their ideologies, either. 

Did he expect her to? 

If he is honest with himself – no. No, he didn’t. 

But, he had hoped. 

Instead, she begins to wither away while he should be enjoying his life at last. He has nothing else he wants; he is fulfilled. 

Except for the fact that Rey is unhappy. That she needs something – else. 

The feeling gnaws at him. 

It feels like dread. 

\- 

“This is all I could have asked for,” she breathes. 

For once, she looks genuinely happy. Kylo can’t help but grin down at her. She looks up at him, and for a moment, he sees– 

She looks away, but she is still smiling. She reaches out and strokes one of the leaves of the nearest plant. “It’s practically a whole garden.” 

“You don’t mind that I had it all shoved in your room?” 

“No, not at all.” 

He can’t take his eyes off of her. When she notices, she raises her eyebrow. “What? Do I have something on my face?” 

Kylo shakes his head, still smiling. Such a simple thing, he hopes it brings her some comfort. Even the tiniest bit. Anything to make her look at him the way she does now. 

“I just enjoy looking at you like this,” he says. 

She pauses. “Like what?” 

“Happy.” He pauses, swallows. Then he gathers his courage, and asks her the question he is nearly too afraid to ask. “Why did you change your mind?” 

The words are a whisper. He despises the weakness in his voice. 

It takes a long time for her to answer. 

“I didn’t want to be alone.” 

\- 

That moment – her happiness – doesn’t last long. 

It lasts, in fact, exactly until they find a cell of the Resistance hidden on Dantooine. Kylo Ren sends a detachment of troops, and when Rey finds him, it’s on the ship’s bridge. She bursts in like a storm. He has felt her coming. 

“Kylo, what are you doing?” She demands. 

He turns to her, careful to keep his face neutral. Everyone on the bridge is trying to look like they aren’t looking. 

“I’m destroying our enemies,” he tells her. Reminds her. 

It’s funny, he thinks, that the spark of life he has so missed in her would show itself now. She’s made her choice, decided who she’s with. Who she is committed to. He won’t let her sit there and pretend– 

“The Resistance is dead, anyway,” she returns, and he sees the fire in her eyes. 

It feels like the start of a physical fight. Like the beginning of a– 

“Please, Ben–” 

“That’s not my name,” he snaps, and turns from her. The static between the feels almost deadly. He remembers the feeling all too well. 

She leaves the bridge, eventually. 

\- 

The Resistance presence on Dantooine is wiped out. 

For a long time, Kylo doesn’t go looking for her. He does, eventually. But he does so with a pit in his stomach. 

All he has to do is follow the storm. 

\- 

He finds her in his room. 

A beautiful statue, sitting on the edge of his bed, clutching her lightsaber in her hands. She doesn’t move when he closes the door behind him. She barely even breathes. 

He swallows. “Rey.” 

“Ben.” 

Kylo flinches at the word. It stings like an insult. 

“You know that’s not my name,” he bites. 

Finally, she looks at him. Her eyes are bloodshot. 

“I’m tired of pretending anymore, Ben.” 

He clenches his fists, but restrains himself from commenting again on the name. She feels a little like a wild animal, and he gets the feeling that he must tread carefully. He is especially aware of the silence between them. 

“What are you talking about?” 

She turns away from him, her hair falling down around her shoulders. She hasn’t bothered to tie it up. “I lied to you,” she says after a long time, “that day when you gave me the plants, when you asked why I came with you. Do you remember what I said?” 

Kylo’s heart begins to pound in his chest. He doesn't know what this means. 

“you said you didn’t want to be alone.” 

He looks back at him, and her face is so twisted with grief that he almost goes to her on instinct. “I went with you because I loved you.” 

His breath catches. 

His eyes start to burn. 

“loved.” 

She says nothing, just continues to stare at him. 

“You said– _loved_.” 

After a long, drawn-out moment, Rey stands. She doesn’t break his gaze, doesn’t turn away from him again. She drops her lightsaber on his bed. It’s a sign of defeat. Kylo’s brows furrow. 

He closes his eyes for a moment, trusting her like he knows he’ll trust for the rest of his life. Even if she kills him. “I’ve always loved you, Rey.” 

Her expression remains unchanged, but for the tears that continue to roll down her cheeks. “Then why did you do this to me? Did you think I would be happy here? Here, where they call that monster the Emperor? Here, where it’s their job to kill the Resistance?” 

Kylo Ren has no answer. Is he surprised? He can’t tell. He feels unnaturally numb. What more can he say besides the truth that _yeshim_. 

Finally, he croaks, “Yes.” 

She stares at him. 

He knows what she is going to say before she opens her mouth. 

“I can’t stay here anymore.” 

She still looks so beautiful, even as she breaks his heart. 

“Ben,” she calls him, one last time. It stings, but not like the first two times she said it. This one stings like a goodbye kiss. “Please, come with me.” 

They both know he can’t. 

He shakes his head, wordless. A new tear streaks down her cheek. She steps closer. He steps so close they’re almost touching. 

She places her hands on either side of his face. 

The kiss is just like their first. 

But, it _hurts_ – 

And then she’s gone.

He grabs her wrists as she starts to pull away, stops her in her tracks. He studies the hazel of her eyes, red-rimmed, and how her wet lashes clump together. The tip of her nose is red.

"You're beautiful," he says, because he is still building up the strength to say what he really means. Just for a moment longer.

She opens her mouth, but he cuts her off.

Same as ever, his voice bleeds the weakness he feels towards her. "You have me."

Rey inhales, her brows furrowing. Confused. He knows he has to be blunt, has to say what he means. She left everything she had left in order to be with him. The least - the very least - he can do is tell her what he truly means.

He starts slowly. "If you mean to leave," he breathes in, and then out. How easy it is, suddenly, to give up everything he's spent his adult life vying for. "I'm going with you. I go where you go."

A sob escapes her, but a smile is blossoming on her face. All at once she is throwing her arms around him, crushing him to her as is she is finally - finally - not alone. As if it's been until now. He is struck by how foolish he is, how blind he's been. It twists is heart, but the feeling is overcome by the love he feels emanating from this woman in his arms. He holds her to him like a priceless thing, because she is.

He feels her breathing against him. He pulls her closer.

"You have me," he says into her hair. And with all of his heart, he means it.


End file.
